Kerry’s Garden

A group of fellow gardeners and I have gotten together at work and formed a very loose and informal gardening group. Its really just more of a group of people interested in gardening than any kind of organized club. We have had a lunchtime presentation given by Eric (my landscape gardening mentor and friend) on easy perennials and myself (container veggies etc). Some of us have plants to share which is what this post is really about. This past week I was greeted with lots of goodies. Apple mint, ajuga, variegated vinca, strawberries, English ivy and peonies were my new additions (that was after the dozen or so pots of hostas and the angel wing begonia cuttings). I handed out some tomatoes, raspberry and blackberry plants. I still have some more raspberry, blackberry and tomatoes, as well as mint and figs to go out.

I really love sharing plants. A plant from a friend means so much more than something I run down to the garden center and buy. As I walk through the yard each plant that has been given to me reminds me of that person and the connection is maintained long after the gift is given. I feel the same way about growing things that someone special to me has loved in the past. My grandmother was an avid container gardener. She lived in a mobile home in California and pretty much every inch of her lot was filled with a container full of color. I can remember helping her plant the seeds and watching the things grow. I would ask her what each one was called. I remember the 4 o’clocks and was really in awe that a plant could tell time as I still had a hard time with that myself. Every summer she would set aside a little area for me to grow a plant or two. I am really thankful that I had that time with her and that her love of growing things rubbed off on me. It is a really neat feeling when I can share that with someone else too. I planted some 4 o’clocks for grandma this week.